Generally, at least one refrigerator shelf 2, on which goods to be kept cold are placed, is mounted to the liner of a refrigerator, so as to efficiently utilize the inner space of a chilling chamber 1 of the refrigerator. The refrigerator shelf 2 is disposed on beads 5 formed at the side surfaces of the liner of the refrigerator such that the refrigerator shelf 2 is supported by means of the beads 5 of the liner of the refrigerator as shown in FIGS. 1A, or the refrigerator shelf 2 is mounted to the refrigerator by means of brackets 4 attached to the refrigerator shelf 2 as shown in FIG. 1B. The brackets 4 are supported by means of support members 3 disposed at the rear surfaces of the liner of the refrigerator.
The refrigerator shelf 2 is generally manufactured by molding a plastic material. Alternatively, wires may be formed in the shape of a net so as to manufacture the refrigerator shelf 2. However, the refrigerator shelf made of the plastic material has a problem in that it may be deformed depending on how it is used, and the refrigerator shelf made of the wires has a problem in that small goods to be kept cold may drop through the net, and, when watery goods are spilled, other goods to be kept cold, which are placed below the refrigerator shelf, may get dirty. For these reasons, there has been recently used a glass shelf comprising a glass sheet, used as a supporting plate, and a plastic frame integrally attached to the edge of the glass sheet, which is used for high-grade refrigerators.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,541 discloses a method of manufacturing a refrigerator shelf comprising: disposing a glass sheet on a lower frame; attaching an upper frame to the lower frame by ultrasonic welding while the upper and lower frames are disposed at edge of the glass sheet; and filling a sealing material between the upper frame and the glass sheet.
In the refrigerator shelf disclosed in the '541 patent, however, the upper and lower frames, which are manufactured by molding plastic materials, are integrated by ultrasonic welding. Consequently, an ultrasonic welding facility is required, and the assembling process of the refrigerator shelf is complicated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,145 discloses a glass shelf for refrigerators wherein the edge part of a glass sheet is formed by injection molding of a plastic material. In the '145 patent, brackets are integrally formed with the edge part of the glass sheet by injection molding of the plastic material when the edge part of the glass sheet is formed, if necessary.
In the glass shelf for refrigerators disclosed in '145 patent, however, the glass sheet is placed in a mold, and then the edge part of the glass sheet is formed by injection molding of the plastic material. Consequently, a high-priced injection-molding machine is required, and a high-precision control is also required, which increases the manufacturing costs of glass shelf for refrigerators. Also, the brackets are integrally formed with the edge part of the glass sheet by injection molding of the plastic material. Consequently, it is necessary that various shelves be individually manufactured depending on how or where the shelves are used.